Rare snowfall in the Rio Grande Valley should end in the next several hours, according to Tim Speece, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville.
“Snow should be ending in Hidalgo County in the next several hours — it’s already ended in Zapata and Jim Hogg Counties,” Speece said. “(We are) going to see light snow lingering on through lunch time, with conditions improving pretty quickly this afternoon and this evening.”
Because temperatures have remained above freezing, ice has not been reported in Hidalgo County, but the meteorologist warned there could be slick conditions on bridges and overpasses.
Speece said there is a possibility that some areas will see freezing temperatures tonight, adding that exposed roadways will be the main threat tonight if there are any slick spots.
“Even though the situation is starting to wind down, folks will still need to bundle up today and tonight, and as they head out tomorrow morning,” Speece said.
Speece said to expect temperatures to warm back up to the 60s and 70s over the next week few days.
Earlier Friday, the national weather service issued a winter storm warning until noon for Hidalgo County.
As snow fell across the Valley, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley remained on schedule, university officials said.
The “tropical Christmas” parade is still on schedule for tonight in Mercedes. It starts at 6 p.m. in downtown Mercedes on Texas Boulevard.
In Rio Grande City, the city worked with Casa de Esperanza, a community center that provides temporary shelter, to see if they had received requests from more than four families, their maximum, according to City Manager Alberto Perez
The center only received a request for shelter from one family. The city will be checking in again with Casa de Esperanza tonight.
The city experienced some drizzle/slush but hasn’t had power outages and has not received complaints about issues with their services.
Their Christmas parade tonight will proceed as planned.
In McAllen, there have been no reports of snow closures but there have been a “couple of delays” out of the McAllen Airport, according to McAllen City Manager Roy Rodriguez.
No flight delays are expected the rest of the day, Rodriguez said.
This story has been updated.
